Title:
Citizens’ Psychological Reactions following the Russian invasion of the Ukraine: A cross-national study
Authors:
Morten Moshagen, Ulm University
Benjamin E. Hilbig, University of Koblenz-Landau
Published:
PsyArXiv, 7 March 2022
Abstract:
Following the invasion of the Ukraine by the Russian Federation, NATO and European countries implemented immediate, strong, and extraordinary unified policies sanctioning Russia. Given that the degree of unity that can be upheld in the longer term arguably also depends on citizens’ reactions and opinions in such countries, the present study sought to explore emotional reactions, perceived justifiability, the willingness to welcome refugees, and the desired severity of sanctions against Russia, and further investigated relevant individual differences variables. Comparative analyses of samples from Germany (n = 296), Great-Britain (n = 297), Poland (n = 291), and the United States (n = 297), indicate high emotional involvement (in terms of anger, anxiety, empathy for people in the Ukraine, and perceived threat), an almost complete absence of perceived justifiability of Russia’s action, a high willingness to welcome refugees, and an overall strong – but more varied – desire to implement severe sanctions against Russia. Whereas the European samples, and the Polish sample in particular, overall exhibited the strongest reactions and desired the most severe sanctions, responses were overall characterized by exceptional unity across the countries studied.